Two Phenomena of European Glass: Venetian and Bohemian Glass)
Glassmaking is an age-old craft that spread from the ancient empires of the Middle East via Greece and the Roman Empire to the West. However, only two places on the map of Europe mastered the secret of glass manufacture, grasping its every detail and enhancing it to unprecedented heights of beauty admired to this day: Venice, Italy, or, more precisely, the Island of Murano, and Bohemia in Central Europe. Two heirs of the ancient techniques that both locations developed in the modern times with the decorative principles of the Renaissance and Baroque periods.Matchbox)
Abounding in Matchbox models, this booklet documents a pastime that was enjoyed by several generations of children and adults. Lesney Products, a British manufacturing company, produced miniature models of cars from the late 1940s. What made its products unique were their matchbox size, model/box combination and low price. The Matchbox 1–75 series was soon followed by further product lines that innovated and varied the vehicles’ designs (Superfasts, Major Packs, King Size) and, last but not least, the vintage Models of Yesteryear range made as adults’ collectibles. During the sixties and seventies in Czechoslovakia Matchbox models came as a revelation. They were admired for their extraordinary precision that copied the originals, as well as for their functionality, bright colours and durable materials. These were qualities lacking in other toys and even in many real cars produced in the Eastern Bloc. During the era of Real Socialism, the magical label “Made in England” came to be a symbol of the unattainable West. Matchbox models were not only a popular iconic children’s toy, but also became an adults’ collectible.The History of Modern Furniture Design)
The richly illustrated monograph tells the story of modern furniture produced from the first half of the 19th century – the Biedermeier period – to the late 20th century. The book offers a comprehensive overview of the modern history of furniture in the Czech lands against the backdrop of significant developments in the field worldwide, including one-of-a-kind designer furniture. Particular attention is devoted to the most distinguished artists-designers, as well as the fates of furniture manufacturers and institutions. The volume examines the art-historical aspects of furniture manufacturing, sources of inspiration, types of materials and technological aspects. Profiles of eminent Czech and international furniture designers form an important part of the publication. The book also serves as a catalogue accompanying the permanent exhibition of 19th- and 20th-century furniture intended for study purposes, housed in the chateau in Kamenice nad Lipou in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands.Gallery and Museum Education I / Following One’s Own Path Toward Art)
Educational Programmes Prepared by the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague and the Rudolfinum Gallery in 2011
The Most Beautiful Czech Book of the Year 2012 – 3rd place, Textbooks category
The publication presents various types of educational programmes prepared by UPM and the Rudolfinum Gallery in 2011, in collaboration with the Art Education Department of the Faculty of Education of Charles University in Prague, to accompany their exhibition projects. Based on the active educational research conducted by a team of specialists from the Art Education Department, the programmes are accompanied by essays devoted to theoretical premises, current trends in the field of gallery and museum pedagogy, and reflections of numerous research participants. The texts written by curators and participating educators, coupled by authentic testimonials of visitors, give a glimpse of the actual process of creating and realizing such programmes. The book’s pictorial accompaniment shows readers the exhibition premises, as well as art workshops that are an integral part of all exhibitions staged by UPM and the Rudolfinum Gallery. The book is intended for teachers and students of fine art, history, aesthetics and humanities basics, as well as educational programme and exhibition curators, and all those seeking “their own path toward art”.From Neuwelt to the Whole World / 300 Years of Harrach Glass)
The Harrach Glassworks in Neuwelt (Nový Svět) in the Krkonoše Mountains ranks among the most accomplished companies that have had a determining influence on the world renown of Czech glassmaking. The first authoritative monograph on this oldest existing glassworks in Bohemia summarizes the findings of the decade-plus archival research and classification of glass collections in Czech and foreign museums. The volume features essays and selected examples of the Harrach glassworks’ output, accompanied by a rich body of illustrations. The book provides a detailed history of Harrach glass, starting with products fashioned in the Baroque style, through its highly varied output in the Biedermeier and Historicism styles, followed by distinctive Art Nouveau forms, and the glassworks’ attempts to adapt its products to the Art Deco and Functionalist styles, all the way to innovative approaches to glass design after 1945, and ending with contemporary glass.